Database Communications for a Gaming Network

ABSTRACT

Techniques for database communications within a gaming network are presented. A gaming device includes a first database and a remote processing site includes a second database. The gaming device and the remote processing site establish two-way communications between one another via database commands associated with the databases.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/613,753, filed Sep. 28, 2004, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The field of the invention relates to networking and in particular to communications for a gaming network.

LIMITED COPYRIGHT WAIVER

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material to which the claim of copyright protection is made. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any person of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office file or records, but reserves all other rights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Gaming has experienced tremendous growth in recent years and the growth trend continues to accelerate showing no signs of abating. As a result, gaming establishments and vendors have continued to automate their equipment and services in efforts to provide improved gaming experiences in a cost effective manner.

For example, gaming devices (e.g., slot machines, video poker, etc.) are now generally equipped with processors and software, so that the device may collect, monitor, control, and report games and their associated metrics. This information allows for effective planning, maintenance, configuration, and upgrades. In some instances, this information is manually collected by physically visiting a particular gaming device and interfacing with its locally resident software. In other instances, this information is collected remotely over a network via interfaces to a central or remote processing site.

In instances, where gaming devices interface with a remote processing site over a network, the interface is typically implemented with complex and sometimes proprietary protocols. This means that the gaming software has to know how to interface with the protocols and thus has to be aware of the syntax and semantics associated with those protocols. If protocols are changed or upgraded, then newer versions of the gaming software have to be upgraded on each gaming device which is interfaced to the remote processing site. Additionally, the remote processing site has to understand the protocols and has to understand what data is being received from each transaction and how to handle that data.

As a result, gaming networks that interface gaming devices to remote processing sites are tightly coupled, difficult to maintain, difficult to upgrade, and highly dependent on specific protocols. Consequently, enhancing or upgrading gaming devices remains a resource-intensive and, in some cases, a cost prohibitive exercise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for database communications of a gaming device, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of method for database communications of a remote processing site interfaced over a network to a gaming device, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting database interfaces, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting a gaming device and remote processing communication system, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram depicting a gaming device, according to an example embodiment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Techniques and architectures are presented for database communications of a gaming network. In an embodiment, a gaming device and a remote processing site establish two-way communications with one another via database commands or operations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a flowchart of one method 100 for database communications of a gaming device, according to an example embodiment. The method 100 is implemented in a machine accessible medium and/or machine. However, the method 100 may be implemented in many manners, such as, and by way of example only, the method 100 may be implemented as a series of signals, as a part of a hardware implementation, combinations of hardware and/software, etc. In an embodiment, the method 100 is implemented as software instructions loaded and processed within a gaming device. The gaming device may be a standalone machine or a local machine integrated and processed within a processing device. Of course, the method 100 may be implemented in a variety of machines, software, media, and/or architectures.

As used herein a “gaming device” refers to a physical or logical machine that plays or executes games associated with betting. By way of example only, a gaming device may be a slot machine, video poker, and the like. In some instances, the gaming device may be logical meaning that the instructions represent the gaming device where those instructions are executed within a composite processing device. For example, a slot machine may be implemented as a logical gaming device as software instructions and processed within a World-Wide Web (WWW) browser where the WWW browser executes on a processing device, such as a computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), phone, and others. Moreover, a single gaming device may be capable of executing one to many betting games. It should also be noted that a gaming device may be adapted to dynamically enter a progressive betting game, may have applications that process game accounting, and/or may have applications that manage information and statistics about game players.

A “remote processing site” is instructions that process on a device, which is geographically dispersed from the gaming device. The remote processing site is networked to the gaming device. The network may be hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired and wireless. Furthermore, in some instances, the network is secure, direct, and/or dedicated for communications between the gaming device and the remote processing site. A single remote processing site is capable of interfacing to a plurality of same or different gaming devices over the network. The remote processing site serves as a central management point for the gaming devices of the network.

A “database” refers to a logical data repository. The database may be a collection of several databases organized and interfaced together as a data warehouse. Further, the database may be relational or object oriented. The database includes an Application Programming Interface (API) that permits data housed in the database to be located, added, deleted, modified, and/or discovered. Database APIs permit database operations or commands to be performed against a database; some commands include query, load, delete, update, etc. Moreover, a single database may have one or more tables that define and index a particular collection of data. The syntax of the tables is defined via data base definitions (DBDs) or schemas.

The terms “local” and “remote” are relative meaning that for any given network transaction having two parties, a first party may have local components or features and a second party may have remote components or features relative to the first party. The designation of local and remote depends on a party's classification for any given transaction. A remote component or feature means that it is geographically dispersed from other local components of features and accessible via a network.

Initially, a gaming device and a remote processing site are interfaced to one another over a network connection. This may be achieved by installing network interface cards on both the gaming device and the remote processing site. The network interface card may support hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired and wireless communications between the gaming device and the remote processing site.

Referring now to FIG. 1, at 110, a gaming device processing the method 100 receives a local database command from a remote processing site. The command is in an API format recognized by a local database of the gaming device. In an embodiment, at 111, the local database command is an operation that updates, configures, and/or queries the local database of the gaming device.

At 120, the gaming device processes the local database command. In an embodiment, at 121, this may result in the dynamic altercation of games which are executing on the gaming device. For example, if a betting game being executed on the gaming device is driven from data values stored in the local database, then when a local database command that updates those data values within the local database is processed, the betting game will alter its appearance and/or execution states based on these revised data values.

In another embodiment, at 122, the local database command may be associated with configuring some subset of local database tables or all local database tables. Thus, when, at 122, when the local database command is processed on the gaming device, the local database is dynamically configured. The new configuration for the local database may be an initial configuration, a new configuration, or a revised configuration.

In yet another embodiment, at 130, the processing of the method 100 may issue a remote database command to a remote database interfaced to the remote processing site. This may be useful when the remote processing site issued a local database command that either evaluates to true or false, and the remote database command returns a value after processing the local database command. Thus, as an example, the gaming device may confirm or deny a request (local database command) that a particular configuration is present in the local database.

As still other examples, at 130, the gaming device may issue a remote database command to the remote database to acquire data or data tables for a game not presently installed on the gaming device. In this manner, dynamic game selections may be selected from a gaming device by a better and dynamically installed in the local database by a remote query issued to the remote database from the gaming device.

In still another example, at 130, the gaming device may issue a remote database command to the remote database that returns game play metrics to fields of the remote database. This may be achieved as an update to the remote database. Metrics may be associated with a variety of information, such as, but not limited to, money collected by the gaming device, payouts made by the gaming device, particular selections made by betters during game plays that may affect royalty or licensing payments, and the like.

In an embodiment, at 140, the gaming device may transmit a schema associated with its local database to the remote processing site. This may be useful when the schema is expressed in a language that may be automatically processed by the remote processing site, such as an Extensible Markup Language (XML) Schema Definition (XSD). Under these circumstances, the remote processing site may dynamically receive a new gaming device and automatically configure itself to communicate with the new database by inspecting and automatically evaluating the XSD transmitted by the new gaming device.

It is now understood how a gaming device and a remote processing site may communicate with one another in improved manners that do not entail complex or proprietary protocols. The gaming device and the remote processing site communicate via database commands. Any traditional or custom-developed database API may be used to achieve this two-way communication. Thus, gaming device may be easily monitored, upgraded, enhanced, and supported, since gathering information from the gaming device is not dependent on any specific protocol or any specific version of a protocol.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of one method 200 for database communications of a remote processing site interfaced over a network to a gaming device, according to an example embodiment. The method 200 (herein after “remote processing site”) is implemented in a machine-accessible or readable medium and is accessible over a network to a gaming device. In an embodiment, the remote processing site interfaces with a gaming device that processes the method 100 of FIG. 1.

Initially, the remote processing site is networked to one or more gaming devices. Again, the network connection may be hardwired, wireless, and/or a combination of hardwired and wireless. At 210, the remote processing site transmits a first database command to a gaming device over the network. The first database command is directed to a first database that is local to the gaming device and remote from the remote processing site. The exact type of first database command may be initially formed on the remote processing site in automated or manual manners. For example, the remote processing site may have automated scripts or events that define when certain first database commands are to be generated and transmitted to the gaming device. As another example, an administrator may manually formulate a desired first database command and issue it from the remote processing site.

In an embodiment, at 211, the first database command may be for configuring the first database of the gaming device. Alternatively, at 21, the first database command may be to update all or selective portions of the first database. The update associated with the first database command may add a new game to the gaming device, at 213, or may, at 214, modify an existing game. Of course any type of database command (e.g., query, update, configure, delete, modify, add, etc.) may be transmitted, at 210, to the gaming device. Moreover, the actual data associated with the command may be automatically or manually generated on the remote processing site.

In another embodiment, at 220, the remote processing site may receive a second database command from the gaming device. This second database command is in a format that may be processed by an API of a second database and the second database is local to the remote processing site but remote from the gaming device.

One example second database command may be processed by the remote processing site, at 221, in order to update tables in the second database. The update records metrics associated with game(s) executing on the gaming device. Evaluation of the recorded metrics may assist in determining the profitability of the gaming device, assist in fulfilling licensing and royalty obligations, and the like.

The second database command may also be data that confirms or denies queries issued by the remote processing site via the first database commands. Thus, the second database command may permit the remote processing site to determine if the gaming device has a proper configuration or if the gaming device is who it purports to be. In other words, in some instances, the identity of the gaming device may not be what was expected by the remote processing site.

The method 200 and the method 100 combine to teach two-way database communications between a remote processing site and a gaming device within a gaming network. Communications are achieved via a first database on the gaming device and a second database on or in direct communication with the remote processing site. The communications are expressed as database commands in an API format that is recognized and processed by the first and second database. Thus, complex and/or proprietary protocols do not have to be managed and interfaced to the gaming device and the remote processing site.

FIG. 3 is a diagram 300 depicting database interfaces, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 3 is presented for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to limit the various embodiments presented herein. Other arrangements, connections, and/or components are foreseeable and should not detract from the novel features presented with this disclosure. The components of the diagram 300 are implemented in a machine-accessible and readable medium or media.

The diagram 300 depicts a first database 310 having a first interface 311 and a second interface 312. The first interface 311 is an API associated with the first database 310 and the second interface 312 is an API associated with the second database 330. In an embodiment, the first interface 311 and the second interface 312 are the same API meaning that both the first 310 and the second 330 databases are of the same type. In an alternative embodiment, the first interface 311 is different from the second interface 312 meaning that the first 310 and second 330 databases are of different or disparate types or different and disparate versions of the same type.

The first database 310 is interfaced to a gaming device 315. In an embodiment, the first database 310 is embedded within the gaming device 315. In an alternative embodiment, the first database 310 is external to the gaming device 315 but locally interfaced to and in communication with the gaming device 315.

The second database 330 is interfaced to a remote processing site 335. In an embodiment, the second database 330 is embedded within the remote processing site 335. In an alternative embodiment, the second database 330 is external to the remote processing site 335 but locally interfaced to and in communication with the remote processing site 335.

The gaming device 315 and the remote processing site 335 are geographically dispersed from one another and interfaced over a network 320. The network 320 may be hardwired, wireless, and/or a combination of hardwired and wireless. Moreover, in some embodiments, the network 320 may be secure, dedicated, and/or direct. In an alternative embodiment, the network 320 is insecure, such as the Internet, but communications occur in a secure manner, such as through Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) communications, via Virtual Private Network (VPN) communications, etc.

During operation, the first interface 311 is adapted to process first database commands associated with tables and data of the first database 310. The first database commands are adapted to be received via the gaming device 315 from the remote processing site 335 over the network 320. The second interface 312 is adapted to construct and transmit second database commands associated with tables and data of the second database 330. The second database commands are adapted to be sent via the gaming device 315 over the network 320 to the remote processing site 335.

The first 311 and second 312 interfaces cooperate to establish two-way communications between the gaming device 315 and the remote processing site 335 over the network 320.

In an embodiment, the gaming device 315 is a standalone machine, such as a slot machine, video poker machine, etc. The standalone machine is adapted to execute one or more betting games. In an alternative embodiment, the gaming device 315 is a logical device adapted to be processed as instructions within a machine associated with one or more betting games. In an embodiment where the gaming device 315 is a logical device, the logical device may be instructions processed within a browser and the network 320 may be the Internet.

FIG. 4 is a diagram depicting a gaming device and remote processing communication system 400, according to an example embodiment. The gaming device and remote processing communication system 400 is implemented within a machine-accessible and readable medium and is processed within a variety of machines that are physical and/or logical (represented as software instructions). In an embodiment, the gaming device and remote processing communication system 400 processes the methods 100 and 200 and utilizes the database interfaces 311 and 312 of FIG. 3.

The gaming device and remote processing communication system 400 includes a gaming device 410 and a remote processing site 430. In an embodiment, the gaming device 410 may be a standalone machine 411 or may be a logical machine embedded within a composite processor machine 412.

The gaming device 410 includes a first database and the remote processing site 430 includes a second database. The gaming device 410 and the remote processing site 420 are adapted to establish two-way communications with one another through database commands transmitted between one another over a network 420 to the first and second database.

In an embodiment, the remote processing site 430 is adapted to transmit and to form a number of database commands over the network 420 which configure the first database of the gaming device 410. Additionally, the remote processing site may transmit and form database commands to discover a schema associated with the first database, to alter an existing game executing on the gaming device 410, and/or to add a new game definition for a new game into the first database.

In another embodiment, the gaming device 410 is adapted to transmit and to form a number of database commands that confirm or deny configurations associated with its first database to the remote processing site 430, where the configurations were issued as queries from the remote processing site 430. The gaming device 410 may also issue queries and perform updates via database commands directed to the second database of the remote processing site 430. In this manner, the gaming device 410 may collect metrics and update the metrics into the second database of the remote processing site 430.

FIG. 5 is a diagram 500 depicting a gaming device 510, according to an example embodiment. The gaming device 510 is implemented within a machine-accessible or readable medium. In an embodiment, the gaming device 510 is a standalone machine or a logical machine embedded or interfaced to a composite processor machine. In another embodiment, the gaming device 510 implements the method 100 and the database interfaces 311 and 312 of FIG. 3.

The gaming device 510 includes memory 511, one or more processors 512, a database 513, and a database interface 514. The database interface 514 is adapted to receive database commands over a network 520 from a remote processing site 530. Moreover, the gaming device 510 is adapted to process the received database commands within the gaming device 510 using the processor 512 and the memory 511.

The database interface 514 is adapted to establish dynamic two-way communications via the database commands with the remote processing site 530 over the network 520. For example, in an embodiment, the database interface 514 is adapted to form a number of the database commands and to direct them to a remote database interfaced to the remote processing site 530.

In an embodiment, the gaming device 510 is adapted to use selective portions of the database 513 to drive selective gaming applications that execute on the processor 512 in cooperation with the memory 511. Also, the gaming device 510 may be adapted to configure or to update the database 513 in response to a number of the database commands received from the remote processing site 530. Thus, the gaming device 510 may dynamically effect modifications in existing games executing within the processor 512 and the memory 511 in response to database commands that update the database 513 and which are received from the remote processing site 530.

One now fully appreciates how a gaming network comprising a remote processing site and one or more gaming devices may be interfaced through database communications. The methods, databases, interfaces, systems, and devices presented herein alleviate having to communicate via complex and/or proprietary protocols, which tightly couple the gaming network and make it inflexible and less dynamic.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of embodiments of the invention should therefore be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

The Abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b) in order to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the invention have more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment. 

1. A method, comprising: receiving a local database command from a remote processing site having a remote database, wherein the local database command is in a database definition format understood by a gaming device that maintains the local database and wherein the remote site dynamically discovers the data base definition format from prior transactions with the gaming device; and processing the local database command against a local database.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, issuing a remote database command from the local database to the remote database.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, transmitting a schema associated with the local database to the remote processing site, wherein the schema defines the database definition format for the local database.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving further includes receiving the local database command as at least one of an update operation to the local database, a database configuration operation for the local database, and a query operation directed to the local database.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, dynamically altering a game executed on the gaming device in response to processing the local database command against the local database within the gaming device.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, processing the local command to dynamically configure the local database.
 7. A method comprising: transmitting a first database command from a remote processing site to a gaming device which has a first database, wherein the first database command is in a database definition format that is understood by the first database of the gaming device; and receiving a second database command from the gaming device associated with the second database, wherein the first database is interfaced to the second database by means of the remote processing site and wherein the second database command is in a different database definition format from the first database and is understood by the second database of the remote site.
 8. The method of claim 7 further comprising, configuring the first database with the first database command.
 9. The method of claim 7 further comprising, recording metrics associated with one or more games executing on the gaming device within the second database in response to the second database command.
 10. The method of claim 7 further comprising, updating the first database on the gaming device when the gaming device processes the first database command against the first database on the gaming device.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein updating further includes adding a new game to execute on the gaming device by processing the first database command on the gaming device.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein updating further includes modifying an existing game that executes on the gaming device by processing the first database command on the gaming device.
 13. A database interface, comprising: a first interface adapted to process first database commands associated with a first database, wherein the first database is integrated in a gaming device and wherein the first database commands are adapted be received over a network from a remote processing site in a first database definition format recognized by the first database; and a second interface adapted to construct and transmit second database commands associated with a second database, wherein the second database is locally interfaced to the remote processing site and the second database commands are in a second database definition format recognized by the second database.
 14. The database interface of claim 13, wherein the network is at least one of secure, hardwired, and wireless.
 15. The database interface of claim 13, wherein the gaming device is a standalone machine adapted to execute one or more games associated with betting.
 16. The database interface of claim 13, wherein the gaming device is a logical device adapted to be processed within a machine as instructions associated with one or more betting games.
 17. The database interface of claim 16, wherein the gaming device is adapted to process within a browser and the network is the Internet.
 18. The database interface of claim 13, wherein the first and second database interfaces cooperate to establish two-way communications between the gaming device and the remote processing site via the first and second database commands.
 19. A system, comprising: a gaming device; and a remote processing site, wherein the gaming device includes a first database having a first database definition format and the remote processing site includes a second database having a second database definition format, and wherein the gaming device and the remote processing site are adapted to establish two-way communications with one another through database commands transmitted between one another over a network to the first and second databases and wherein each command transmitted is in a target database definition format of a receiving party's database.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the gaming device is at least one of a standalone machine and a logical device embedded within a composite machine.
 21. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote processing site is adapted to transmit and to form a number of the database commands over the network to configure the first database of the gaming device.
 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote processing site is adapted to transmit and to form a number of the database commands to discover a schema associated with the first database that represents the first database definition format.
 23. The system of claim 19, wherein the remote processing site is adapted to transmit and to form a number of database commands to alter an existing game defined within the first database or to add a new game definition for a new game within the first database.
 24. The system of claim 19, wherein the gaming device is adapted to transmit and to form a number of database commands that confirm to the remote processing site an existing configuration for the first database or for a selective portion of the first database.
 25. A gaming device, comprising: memory; a processor; a database; and a database interface, wherein the database interface is adapted to receive database commands from a remote processing site and adapted to process the database commands on the processor in cooperation with the memory, and wherein the database interface is adapted to establish two-way communications via the database commands with the remote processing site over a network using a database definition format associated with the database and discovered by the remote processing site via prior dynamic transactions with the gaming device.
 26. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the database interface is further adapted to form a number of the database commands and to direct them to a remote database interfaced to the remote processing site.
 27. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the gaming device is adapted to use selective portions of the database to drive selective gaming applications executing on the processor in cooperation with the memory.
 28. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the gaming device is adapted to configure or to update the database in response to a number of the database commands received from the remote processing site.
 29. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the gaming device is adapted to dynamically effect modifications in existing games executed within the processor and the memory in response to a number of database commands received from the remote processing site.
 30. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the gaming device is adapted to record and report game player information or game accounting in response to a number of database commands received from the remote processing site.
 31. The gaming device of claim 25, wherein the gaming device is adapted to enter a progressive game in response to a number of database commands received from the remote processing site. 